


Home is Where the Heart is

by WaxRhapsodic



Series: You and I [10]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Human, Charles Being Concerned, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Erik Has Feelings, Erik is a Sweetheart, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Moving, Post Mpreg, Protective Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 14:48:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18122456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/pseuds/WaxRhapsodic
Summary: Charles and Erik come to terms with their new life circumstances!





	Home is Where the Heart is

Charles was exhausted. In fact that seemed like an understatement for how very tired he was. Weary down to his bones. But he supposed a physical and emotional upheaval would do that to a body.

He looked around his new bedroom. Their new bedroom. It was bigger than their first flat had been. By far. For some reason, as happy as he was to have the extra space, his throat was tight with tears at the thought.

He’d miss the tight little space where they’d first become a family. Where they had no room to grow apart. This place wasn’t enormous like the manor with its mausoleum like stillness. The homes of his youth echoed loneliness no matter how many guests and servants filled the halls.

It was the reason he hadn’t been able to move his little family into the townhouse. Erik had been stunned to see that it was in all actuality an historic mansion. He’d quietly agreed to find a new home upon seeing Charles’ lost expression as they walked through the still, lifeless halls.

Charles gave in and sank down on the edge of their new, full sized bed and cried. Not the happy tears of wining their case or finding this lovely little home in a growing middle class neighborhood. He cried over missing the neighbors and friends he’d made living near the docks. It would be hard not to see them daily, not to see the children he’d seen born learn and grow.

He wept and felt alone for the first time in a long time, soft gasps echoed in the high ceilings of the room, reminding him yet again of the sheer size of the five bedroom home they’d purchased.

It was only a few minutes drive from their former stomping grounds and it was close to the business school where Erik would be beginning classes in a matter of weeks.

“Are you alright?”

Charles looked up in surprise, not having heard anyone approach during his pity fest. He was relieved to see it was Emma. “No,” he admitted with a trembling sniff. “I’m being absurd, foolish, and selfish. Most everyone back home-back by the docks would kill for the life we have and here I am missing it!” His voice broke.

Emma sighed and moved to sit at his side on the edge of the bed. “Look Charles, most of them have never had money and never will. At least in the quantities you and I are accustomed to. They imagine their happy, loving families but without the poverty they live in. That truly would be heaven wouldn’t it?” she asked softly, not mentioning the cold families they’d grown up in and fled.

“Yes, it would.”

“But here you are, Charles. Living that dream for every friend you made in the tenements. And now you’re in a better place to truly help them through public works.”

He leaned against her with a breathy sigh, relieved to have someone understand where he was coming from without seeing him as a spoilt, disillusioned, brat. “Thank you, Emma. You’re right.”

“Aren’t I always? She teased lightly. “Now, why don’t we put you down for taking names at our Wednesday clinics? We’ve had such an influx we need help keeping the peace. Come early enough and I can give you a look over before we begin the day.” he opened his mouth to protest when she hushed him gently. “You’ll always be my patient, Charles.”

“And you’ll always be my friend, Emma,” he said with a watery smile. They turned as one to look at the embroidered wall hanging one of his more talented former neighbors had made for them as a moving gift.

 _~Home is Where the Heart is~_ flowed in elegant script across a scenic background.

“I’d be happy to help you all, Emma. Perhaps I could even become a patron.”

“See? You’re already finding ways to use your regained wealth to help others.”

He sucked in a heavy breath and stood, offering Emma a hand to do the same. She took it with a fond smile. “Thank you Mr. Lehnsherr, where to next?”

Charles grinned bashfully, “I think we’ve left Raven and Janos alone with the girls long enough, don’t you?”

She huffed a laugh, and patted her hair carefully. “As moon eyed as they are over their beau’s they’re likely playing mother with those poor, spoiled, things.”

Charles’ smile grew wicked as he leaned in conspiratorially. “Speaking of beau’s, how is Constable Summers these days? I heard he’s up for a promotion. Surely it’s a marrying wage by this point?”

Emma looked at him askance, wondering which of her gossipy friends had spread the news. Her belly twisted in knots worrying that Scott would ask her to marry him. Worrying that he wouldn’t.

“It is. He’s hinted,” she said haltingly as she stopped to look herself over in the mirror. Not a hair out of place.

“And? What have you hinted back?” he asked eagerly.

She hesitated and met his eyes in her reflection. “Against my better reason I hinted yes. Though mother and father would never allow…” she sucked in a soft breath and dropped her gaze to the smooth wood of Charles’ vanity, unable to voice her concerns for the life of her. “We can’t all be as brave as you, Charles.” She admitted quietly.

He stepped up to her side and lay a gentle hand on her shoulder. “The girls gave me courage to do what was right. To follow my heart. Of course Erik gave me the girls so…” he rolled his eyes playfully, causing her to laugh as he’d intended.

“Oh Emma, if home is where the heart is then my home is here with my husband, and children, and friends not with my mother and step father, or the fickle relatives who sided with them and left me to live in penury while the case was settled. Constable Summers is a good man, he’ll be a good husband too.” He said softly, “picture your future, what do you see?”

She swallowed thickly, minds eye filled with sharing a small home with the kind man she’d come to know over the years. Of perhaps having children of her own instead of just delivering everyone else’s’.

She covered his hand on her arm with hers. “Perhaps we can choose our own family. Make our own homes.”

“Exactly,” he beamed at her proudly. “Let’s make real homes.”

She couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at his optimism that it would all be so easy, especially knowing the world they hailed from. Her family wouldn’t give up so easily and there was nothing but their name at stake.

She changed the subject smoothly to talk about interior decorating and his plans for the house and yard even as her mind was filled with embarrassingly girlish thoughts. She looped her arm with his as he led the way downstairs. Perhaps she had already found a small part of her family, a family she’d been unwittingly building all along. Maybe she could be brave, after all she’d defied their wishes and become a nurse midwife of some reputation. And Scott was the only man who’d ever made her feel this way, like she an electric current running through her veins.

Besides, _Mrs. Emma Summers_ had an awfully nice ring to it.

~~

Erik crept out of bed to open the door between their room and the nursery. The ‘master suite’ room had been his major selling point on their new home. He’d never lived in such finery, though he loved the idea of this life being standard for his children.

He wondered how long it would take him to feel comfortable in such a setting. When would living like this become normal to him?

It was disconcerting to look across the room and see nothing but expensive, brand new furniture as opposed to rickety second hand items donated or purchased from rummage sales. It had been hard enough getting the girls to sleep in a new place, though they’d happily puppy piled on each other to sleep after several fitful attempts at rest.

He stood in the doorway and looked in on their sleeping forms bathed in silent moonlight. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb and felt…happy. He hoped his parents could see him, could rest in peace knowing that he and Ruth had continued their family line, that they were happy and safe.

He tensed momentarily when warm, pale arms slipped around his waist to hug him from behind. “Everything alright?” Charles asked softly, still sounding half asleep.

Erik shifted to tuck him under his arm and hold him close. “I just missed them,” he admitted quietly, not sure if he meant his parents or the girls, though he didn’t know how to voice it.

“Mmmm,” Charles agreed. “We should leave the door open just in case,” he yawned adorably.

“Just a moment longer,” Erik whispered as he ran his fingers through his husbands silky chestnut hair and felt at peace. With a slow swell of warmth Erik realized he was home.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? a bit more introspective than usual! is there anything else you'd like to see from them? I have another part planned but want to show at least another brief glimpse before that! Comment and let me know what you think!


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